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;,>fv  \ '•'■ " Cornpll*^'* *■**•* 

T:,«theran  Board  of  Mission 


dfl  f f 01yer?f0n‘! 


The  Need  of  Lady  Workers 
On  the  Mission  Field 


Lutheran  Board  of  Missions 

Minneapolis,  Minn. 


Lutheran  Board  of  Missions 

(Den  lutherske  frikirkes  hedningemission) 


Home  Office:  Augsburg  Seminary,  Minneapolis,  Minn, 


Rev.  Johan  Mattson,  President. 
Prof.  Andreas  Helland,  Secretary. 
Prof.  j.  H.  Blegen,  Treasurer. 


Go  Ye  Therefore! 


OUR  LORD  and  Master,  Jesus 
Christ,  after  His  resurrection  met  His  dis- 
ciples at  the  appointed  place,  he  spoke  these 
words  to  them:  ‘‘All  authority  hath  been  given 
unto  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye  there- 
fore. and  make  disciples  of  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  into  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the 
Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost : teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I commended  you : 
and  lo,  I am  with  }'ou  always,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world.”  ( Matth.  28:18-20). 

This  is  the  command — Go  ye  therefore! 

There  is  a reason — Christ’s  absolute  author- 
ity ; there  is  an  aim — making  disciples  of  all 
nations;  and  there  is  a promise — Christ’s  ints 
mate  and  everlasting  fellowship  with  those  who 
obey  His  will. 

-•Mmost  two  thousand  years  have  passed,  and 
> et  the  work  has  but  commenced.  Rut  it  is  now 
taking  on  speed  as  never  before  since  the  days  of 
rhe  apostles,  and  the  doors  are  open  as  never 
before. 

By  tbe  providence  of  God  the  Lutheran  Free 
Church  has  a part  in  this  great  work.  A little 
band  of  young  people,  filled  with  the  love  of 
God,  havf  heard  and  obeyed  the  call : Go  ye 


3 


4 


tlierefore.  The  sj^ecial  need  at  tliis  time  is  for 
laciy  missionaries,  in  fact  our  mission  work  both 
in  China  and  ^Madagascar  is  handicapped  on 
account  of  the  lack  of  such  workers.  One  rea- 
son for  this  is  no  doubt  lack  of  information  on 
the  subject.  For  that  reason  this  little  pamphlet 
has  been  prepared,  and  we  hope  that  its  message 
will  be  the  means  in  God’s  hand  to  awaken  a 
keener  interest  among  our  Christian  young 
women  for  the  foreign  mission  service. 

Those  who  have  so  generously  consented  t(j 
contribute  to  the  contents  of  this  pamphlet  are: 
iMrs.  Emma  Pederson,  wife  of  Rev.  M.  A.  Peder- 
son, in  mission  work  in  Santalistan  for  about  13 
years;  iMrs.  O.  iM.  iMolvik,  wife  of  Rev.  O.  M. 
Molvik,  for  seven  years  in  the  service  in  IMada- 
ga.scar,  and  ]\Irs.  Anna  Hompland,  wife  of  Rev. 
L.  Hompland,  for  five  years  in  the  .service  in 
China. 


The  Place  of  the  Lady  Missionary  on  the 
Mission  Field. 

By  Mrs.  Emma  Pederson 


There  are  many  branches  of  mission  work 
that  can  he  accomplished  by  the  lady  mis- 
sionaiy  only,  chief  among  which  are  the  follow- 
ing: 


\’isiting  women  in  their  homes,  and  instruct- 
ing them  in  the  llihle  as  well  as  in  the  care  of 
their  home  and  children. 

( )ur  male  missionaries 
soon  found,  that  in  going 
out  among  the  villages, 

])reaching  the  gospel, 
they  could  gather  only 
the  men  and  hoys 
about  them,  d'he  Santals 
have  very  few  caste  pre- 
judices. they  do  not  have 
the  purdah  system,  prac- 
tised h\-  Hindus  and  Mo- 
hammedans, and  though 
they  allow  their  women 
to  go  about  unveiled,  it 
is  not  considered  good 
come  to  a gathering  of 


Mrs.  Emma  Pederson 


manners  for  them  to 
• men.  If  the  lady 
missionary  comes  to  their  home,  shows  that  she 
takes  interest  in  them  and  tiieir  families,  and 
visits  them  in  times  of  sickness  and  bereavement. 


c 


they  will  also  be  willing  to  listen  to  the  message 
she  has  to  bring  them. 

I'he  Santal  women  sadly  need  to  be  taught 
how  to  take  care  of  their  sick,  as  their  ideas  of 
nursing  are  very  different  from  ours,  and  very 
often  bring  disastrous  results.  The  lady  mis- 
sionary should  therefore  have  some  knowledge 
of  medicine  and  nursing,  as  she  will  find  this  a 
great  help  in  her  work.  We  were  at  one  time 
stationed  at  a place  20  miles  away  from  the  near- 
est doctor,  and  in  the  five  years  we  were  there 
we  treated  several  thousand  cases,  and  oh  how 
often  we  wished  we  had  been  better  equipped 
for  this  line  of  work. 

In  our  work  among  the  Santals  we  have  Ilible 
women  as  well  as  evangelists.  These  women  go 
out  to  the  villages,  visiting  the  sick,  often  help- 
ing to  nurse  them  and  at  the  same  time  gathering 
the  women  and  children  about  the  word  of  God, 
inviting  them  to  come  to  church,  and  in  every 
way  giving  what  assistance  they  can.  In  our 
mission  we  have  no  special  training  school  for 
Bible  women,  therefore  it  is  the  lady  missionary 
who  must  instruct  them,  direct  them  in  their 
work,  and  receive  their  reports. 

They  often  meet  harsh  treatment  and  disa])- 
pointments  in  their  visits  to  the  heathen,  so  they 
need  much  encouragement  and  help  in  their 
work.  How  often  they  have  come  to  me,  tired, 
dusty  and  foot-sore  at  the  end  of  a long  day’s 


7 


march  along  hot  and  dusty  roads,  sometimes  re- 
joicing over  a good  day’s  work,  where  many 
gathered  to  listen  to  the  gos])el  message  they  had 
to  bring,  and  i)erhai)s  some  woman  had  asked 
them  to  come  and  instruct  her  and  her  children 
for  baptism.  And  then  again  how  discouraged 
and  broken-hearted  they  would  be  when  they 
met  with  ridicule,  harsh  words  and  often  threats 
of  violence  if  they  ever  should  show  their  faces 
in  certain  villages  again.  It  is  a blessed  work 
these  Ilihle  women  do,  and  they  need  all  the 
hel])  and  encouragement  w^e  can  give  them. 

Then  we  have  girls'  schools.  In  India  it  has, 
until  recently,  been  considered  quite  unnecessary 
for  girls  to  know  how  to  read  and  write,  that  is 
why  only  one  girl  out  of  every  144  has  learned 
these  arts.  That  education  of  girls  is  an  im- 
portant branch  of  missionary  work  is  easily  seen 
when  we  consider  what  great  influence  women 
have  in  their  homes.  What  a difference  we  find 
in  the  home  where  the  wife  and  mother  is  ignor- 
ant and  super.stitious,  and  the  one  where  she  is 
educated  and  enlightened.  I remember  with 
pleasure  a visit  we  made  to  one  of  our  school 
girls,  who  had  married  a village  evangelist. 
Everything  about  her  home  was  spotlessly  clean, 
and  the  dinner  she  prepared  was  served  so  well 
it  was  a jileasure  to  ])artake  of  it.  Her  husband 
had  made  a table  and  some  chairs,  and  she  had 
hemstitched  and  embroidered  the  tablecloth  and 


napkins  made  from  coarse  muslin.  She  gave  us 
spoons  to  eat  our  curry  and  rice  with  so  we  need 
not  use  our  fingers,  as  the  custom  is  among  them. 

This  is  only  the  outward  evidence  of  the 
fact  that  she  had  been  educated  in  a mission 
school,  but  the  sweet  Christian  spirit  she  showed 
in  her  home  and  her  village  is  impossible  to  de- 
scribe. She  is  only  one  of  the  many  hundred 
girls  who  have  been  educated  in  our  mission 
schools. 

d'he  industrial  school  for  girls  and  women  is 
a branch  of  mission  work  we  have  taken  up  that 
is  meeting  with  much  success.  Many  village 
])eople  who  could  not  be  induced  to  send  their 
girls  to  school  to  learn  to  read  and  write  alone, 
will  gladly  send  them  if  they  are  also  taught  to 
sew  articles  of  clothing,  or  to  make  lace  that  can 
he  sold  in  the  market  j)lace,  and  thereby  add  to 
the  family  income  which  is  usually  very,  ver) 
small. 

I'he  girls  are  very  clever  with  their  hands  as 
well  as  with  their  heads,  and  can  learn  to  make 
beautiful  laces  and  embroideries,  as  well  as  the 
finest  of  sewing. 

I'o  superintend  our  or]dians’  homes  we  need 
women  whose  hearts  are  filled  to  overflowing 
with  love  and  .sympathy  for  the  hundreds  of 
motherless  little  children  who  need  their  care. 
( )ur  Savior  Jesus,  who  dearly  loves  all  children. 


9 


has  promised  special  blessings  to  those  who  re- 
ceive and  care  for  them  in  His  name,  and  oh  it 
is  a blessed  work,  which  gives  a rich  reward  even 
in  this  life. 

May  God  fill  the  heart  of  some  girl  or  young 
woman  who  reads  this,  with  a longing  to  go  out 
in  His  name,  to  work  in  any  part  of  His  vine- 
yard where  He  may  see  fit  to  put  her. 


The  Lady  Missionary's  Work  at  the 
Mission  Station  in  Madagascar 

By  Mrs  O.  M.  Moh  ik 

IX  ADACiASCAR  the  women  are  socially 
inferior.  The  men  regard  them  as  a degraded 
and  dependent  class.  The  wife  is  not  a helper, 
hut  a servant  treated  little  better  than  the  slaves 
of  old  who  had  no  rights  or  privileges. 

The  ^Malagasy  like  other  pagan  nations  can- 
not 1,’e  Christianized  until  their  women  are 
elevated  through  Chris- 
tian teaching,  and  educat- 
ed to  see  their  duties  and 
feel  their  responsibilities 
to  God  and  man. 

f )n  our  field  the  few 
lady  misionaries  have  de- 
voted most  of  their  time 
to  the  girls  at  the  Girl’s 
Home  at  Manasoa.  The 
missionaries  have  built 
stations  and  worked 
Mrs.  o.  M.  Molvik  among  the  men  until  the 

work  has  now  come  to  the  stage  when  the  needs 
and  ojiportimities  are  greater  for  lady  mission- 
aries. 

The  present  conditions  make  it  highly  desir- 
able to  have  a woman  at  each  station.  A_lthough 
10 


11 


the  social  customs  do  not  prevent  men  from 
teaching  women,  if  they  meet  in  a class,  yet  they 
do  prevent  them  from  going  to  the  house  where 
one  or  two  women  who  want  instruction  live 
alone.  Besides  every  woman  catechumen  needs 
instruction  and  guidance  that  men  cannot  give. 
She  needs  the  practical  teaching  by  words  and 
example  of  the  lady  missionary. 

Our  Christian  women  need  more  instruction 
and  advice  about  their  Christian  duty  and  place 
in  the  home,  the  community,  and  the  church. 
The  lady  missionary  must  gather  them  for  further 
Rible-study  and  give  talks  on  many  practical 
every-day  problems.  Ujion  her  also  rests  the 
responsibility  of  training  native  women  workers. 
While  we  have  about  eighty  men  doing  evange- 
listic work,  we  have  as  yet  hardly  a woman  who 
can  go  to  teach  the  many  that  can  not  be  reached 
by  the  lady  missionary. 

Then  there  is  the  Sunday-school  work.  A 
great  majority  of  the  Sunday-school  pupils  in 
St.  Augustin  were  heathen  girls.  An  hour’s 
teaching  on  Sunday,  however,  is  not  sufficient 
to  undermine  heathenism  with  its  vices  and 
superstitions.  They  need  to  have  the  good  seed 
sown  daily  in  their  hearts  and  to  be  under  Chris- 
tian influence,  so  that  they  may  by  the  grace  of 
God  be  won  for  Him  and  the  church. 

E-very  time  the  lady  missionary  gathers  the 
girls  for  instruction  in  reading,  singing,  sewing, 


Group  at  Girl’s  Asylum,  Manasoa,  Madagascar 


13 


or  hand-work  etc.,,  she  has  the  best  opportunity 
for  awakening  a desire  to  live  a noble  and 
pure  life  and  for  leading  them  in  the  i)ath  of 
righteousness.  These  girls  need  not  only  the 
Savior  but  the  Savior  and  His  church  need  them. 

Many  of  our  converts  are  young,  unmarried 
men.  Some  have  a thirst  for  knowledge,  and  a 
desire  to  teach  their  fellow  men.  They  want  to 
attend  school  to  prepare  for  the  work  of  their 
Lord.  These  young  men  need  Christian  wives 
who  can  help  them  face  bravely  hardships,  trials, 
and  temptations.  But  few  are  so  fortunate  as 
to  find  good  wives,  since  there  are  so  few  Chris- 
tian girls.  Some,  then,  marry  heathens  and  if 
the  wife  is  not  won  for  Christ,  we  cannot  ask 
the  husband  to  do  evangelistic  work.  Thus,  many 
a ])romising  young  man  has  been  lost  for  the 
work  and  not  a few  for  the  church.  Let  us  not 
jurlge  these  harshly,  hut  consider  what  they  have 
to  face  in  their  homes. 

The  ignorant  heathen  woman  is  not  a kind 
and  devoted  wife  and  true  mother.  Most  are 
selfish,  deceitful,  immoral,  superstitious,  and 
.slaves  of  evil  customs.  They  have  never  known 
what  “Home  Sweet  Home”  is  and  they  cannot 
make  the  home  the  one  happy,  cheerful,  and  ideal 
place  so  much  desired  in  this  world.  They  are 
unable  to  teach  their  children  kindness,  love, 
truth,  i)ure  morality,  righteousness,  and  to  love 
and  fear  the  true  living  God  above  all.  The 


14 


progress  in  evangelizing  the  Malagasy  depends 
largely  upon  the  training  the  children  receive  in 
their  homes.  The  earlier  the  foundation  for  a 
C hristian  character  is  laid,  the  easier  the  task 
w ill  be. 

Another  task  which  aw'aits  the  lady  mission- 
ary is  to  teach  the  women  independence  and  self- 
support.  She  can  help  them  conquer  the  temj)- 
tation  of  becoming  a foreigner’s  wife.  Many- 
good  girls  have  been  ruined  by  this  disgraceful 
life.  They  w-ere  encouraged  and  often  forced  by 
their  parents  wdio  received  gifts  and  money. 
Likewise  many  innocent  girls  must  consent  to 
marry  men  whom  they  do  not  love  in  order  to 
get  a supporter.  About  the  only  way  known  for 
a woman  to  earn  money  is  by  living  an  immoral 
life.  The  lady  missionary  can  teach  the  higher, 
as  w-ell  as  the  lower  class,  that  to  work  is  no  dis- 
grace. She  can  helji  them  adopt  good  customs 
and  appreciate  the  blessings  of  civilization.  She 
will  teach  them  that  clothing  is  not  for  adorn- 
ment, but  a necessity  in  raising  the  moral  stand- 
ard, and  to  provide  practical  clothing  for  them- 
selves and  their  families. 

I am  glad  to  state  that  our  Christian  women 
are  proof  that  the  Malagasy  women  can  learn 
that  it  is  not  the  dress  but  a ])ure  Christian  char- 
acter that  makes  a woman  beautiful. 

If  the  lady  missionary  has  some  knowledge 
of  medicine,  she  may  w^ait  upon  the  sick,  unless 


15 


it  is  more  convenient  for  the  missionary  or  his 
wife  to  do  it.  It  is  necessary  to  administer  onto 
tlie  sick.  Kind  and  good  treatment  drives  away 
the  .sns]ncion  that  natives  liave  of  foreigners  and 
o])ens  their  hearts  for  the  missionary  and  his 
message.  Imving  care  and  sympathetic  treat- 
ment are  understood  and  appreciated. 

To  lessen  the  suffering  tlie  w’omen  must  be 
tauglit  the  simplest  rules  of  hygiene.  They  do  not 
know  that  cleanliness,  good  habits,  and  wdiole- 
some  food  are  essentials  of  health  ami  happiness 
in  the  home.  One-third  of  the  little  children  die 
from  neglect  or  improper  care.  The  mothers  are 
not  to  blame.  They  do  all  in  their  power,  but  in 
their  ignorance  they  may  do  the  very  thing  which 
takes  their  beloved  baby’s  life. 

To  explain  in  the  sim])lest  words  the  best 
methods  is  often  not  sufficient.  The  mothers 
must  be  shown  how  to  care  for,  bathe,  feed,  and 
dress  their  children.  W'e  demonstrate  simple 
facts  here  at  home  so  that  they  can  be  better  un- 
derstood. Shall  W'e  not  do  it  for  the  [Malagasy 
who  have  not  had  the  racial  development  and 
Christian  civilization  that  we  enjov? 

Let  us  not  any  longer  consider  it  a sacrifice, 
hut  a privilege  to  go  to  teach  the  Malagasy  to 
hel]5  themselves  to  become  a happy,  industrious, 
and  God-fearing  people,  doing  the  w'ork  for 
which  God  created  man. 

Dear  }'oung  sisters  of  the  Lutheran  Free 


Church,  remember  that  Jesus,  while  here  on 
earth,  lived  a missionary  life.  He  devoted  all 
His  time  to  doing  good  and  to  alleviating  suffer- 
ing. He  exhausted  His  strength  in  teaching, 
preaching,  and  loving  service  for  his  fellow  men. 
\ou  want  to  be  His  children,  doing  His  will. 
Are  you  praying  and  working  while  it  is  day.-" 

When  you  hear  His  tender  voice  calling,  will 
you  answer;  “Lord,  send  me  where  Thou  wilt, 
make  me  Thy  devoted  servant,  and  fill  me  with 
love  divine”  ? 

'Phen  you  will  become  a blessing  for  your 
down-trodden  heathen  sisters,  and  the  peace  and 
r Clear d shall  be  yours. 


The  Need  of  Lady  Missionaries  in  China 

By  Mrs.  Anna  Hompland 

CFilXA  lias  for  more  than  four  thousand  years 
been  the  same  unchanging  empire,  entirely 
self-centered  and  self-satisfied,  with  a rooted  con- 
tempt for  everytliing  foreign.  Yet  today  she  has 
turned  her  face  from  the 
past  and  commenced  to 
learn  from  other  nations. 

Scores  of  her  students 

can  be  found  in  almost 
every  seat  of  learning  in 
Europe  and  America.  The 
cliangeless  is  giving  way 
to  the  changing.  Doors 
that  were  closed  upon  us 
yesterday  are  thrown 
wide  open  today.  The 

nation  that  gave  us  only 

hatred  and  death  now  Mrs.  An  na  Hompland 

welcomes  us  with  heart  and  hand. 

Among  the  changes  occurring  in  this  land  not 
least  is  her  social  transformation.  In  ld07  the 
government  decided  to  make  a ten  year  crusade 
against  opium  smoking.  They  prohibited  tlie  use 
of  opium  by  all  officials  except  those  of  very 
advanced  age,  but  in  all  parts  of  China  persons 


17 


18 


high  in  political  and  social  circles  have  in  a won- 
derful way  thrown  themselves  into  this  move- 
ment, and  through  their  heroic  efforts  they  have 
crushed  the  opium  demon,  as  we  hope  forever, 
d'he  final  and  complete  annihilation  of  this  trade 
was  brought  about  in  INIarch  1917. 

( )nly  a few  years  ago  an  edict  of  the  prince 
regent  prohibited  slavery,  which  was  especiall) 
w ide-spread  among  girls. 

'fhe  movement  against  footbinding,  favored 
by  the  imjierial  edict  and  taken  up  by  the  offi- 
cials and  gentry  of  the  country,  is  one  of  the 
most  comprehensive  and  far-reaching  changes  in 
China.  With  the  unbinding  of  their  feet  comes 
the  unbinding  and  liberation  of  their  minds  and 
gradually  they  are  being  accorded  the  status 
women  enjoy  in  Christian  lands. 

I'he  many  great  political  changes  modeled 
according  to  Christian  countries,  together  with 
China’s  social  transformation  have  grown  from 
the  influence  of  Christianity;  there  is  no  power 
able  to'  rid  China  from  the  clutches  of  her 
heathen  ])ractices  but  the  power  of  Jesus  Christ. 

\\  bile  China  always  has  cherished  and  still 
does  cherish  education  she  has  only  begun  to 
struggle  with  the  immense  task  of  educating  her 
people.  She  is  saturated  with  a desire  for 
western  education.  Her  government  schools, 
colleges  and  universities  are  based  on  westero 


sciences. 


Children  in  Day  School  at  Kwtitch,  China 


20 


Secular  education  alone,  notwithstanding  all 
the  good  there  is  in  it,  has  an  aspect  that  is  dan- 
gerous. Through  the  study  of  sciences  the 
students  learn  to  see  the  folly  of  their  old  super- 
stitions and  idol  worship  and  will  give  them  up. 
Unless  Christ  is  given  them  they  will  become  in- 
telligent objectors  to  the  gospel.  They  cjuickly 
accept  the  agnostic  explanation  of  the  universe 
and  are  a])t  to  receive  the  impression  that  re- 
ligion is  not  necessary  to  the  life  of  a nation. 

Until  recently  the  education  of  girls  has  been 
almost  entirely  neglected.  Only  a small  per- 
centage of  the  women  can  read  or  write.  The 
millions  are  ignorant  of  almost  everything  out- 
side of  their  own  limited  sphere.  They  act  and 
think'  as  their  mothers  have  done  before  them 
because  they  have  learned  nothing  else.  China 
maintains  her  many  and  various  kinds  of  cus- 
toms and  will  not  so  readily  give  them  up,  un- 
less she  is  convinced  of  something  better.  Fashioti 
forbids  a woman  of  the  upj)er  class  to  be  seen  in 
mixed  audiences,  walk  the  street,  or  leave  her 
home  without  the  escort  of  an  older  woman,  or 
in  an  inclosed  cart  or  chair.  She  is  confined  to 
the  inner  room  where  she  is  allowed  to  receive 
her  friends  and  relatives.  The  strong  and  talent- 
ed woman  is  ])hysically  and  mentally  crippled. 

There  will  never  come  a social  reform  so 
strong  as  to  raise  these  women  to  the  standard 
of  their  Christian  sisters.  The  wise  and  untire- 


21 


ing  effort  of  tlie  lady  missionary  must  bring  this 
about.  She  will  usually  find  an  open  door  every- 
wdiere,  and  the  women  longing  for  her  to  bring 
them  the  message  of  salvation  in  Jesus  Christ  as 
well  as  to  reveal  to  them  the  social  emancipa- 
tion Christianity  alone  can  give.  This  class  has 
been  sadly  neglected. 

The  beggars,  servants  and  day  laborers  who 
all  belong  to  the  lower  class,  are  often  found  in 
the  most  pitiable  condition  of  ignorance,  supersti- 
tion, moral  corruption,  fear  and  gotllessness. 
Women  of  this  sort  are  seen  everywhere  on  the 
street  Tliey  are  as  a rule  i)overty-stricken  and 
very  stupid.  One  of  the  great  difficulties  in  deal- 
ing with  these  women  is  this  that  their  motive 
for  believing  and  testifying  may  be  to  gain  the 
material  instead  of  the  spiritual  blessings. 

The  Christian  church  in  China  is  for  the 
greater  part  composed  of  jreople  of  tlie  middle 
class.  The  woman  of  this  class  is  not  strictly 
bound  to  her  inner  court,  and  yet  slie  is  somewhat 
reserved.  She  is  not  so  poor  that  material  gain  is 
her  only  motive  for  joining  the  church.  Here  the 
lady  missionary  finds  a splendid  field  for  work. 
Doors  are  open  everywhere.  The  lady  worker 
will  find  herself  busy  making  house  visits,  hold- 
ing courtyard  meetings,  visiting  the  Christians, 
the  inquirers,  the  sick,  the  people  in  the  nearby 
villages,  organizing  and  instructing  classes  of 
women.  She  is  constantly  on  the  watch  for  op- 


22 


portiinities  to  do  personal  work,  never  forgetting 
to  lead  and  guide  the  Christians  of  the  eongre- 
gation. 

The' need  of  developing  womanhood  is  every- 
where recognized,  and  schools  for  girls  are  now 
being  ojjened  in  great  nnmhers  by  the  govern- 
ment and  the  missions.  The  new  woman  of 
China  is  determined  to  acquire  an  education. 
'I'here  is  hut  little  difficulty  in  opening  schools 
and  organizing  classes  of  various  kinds.  The 
Chinese  girl  is  fully  able  to  learn  everything  of- 
fered in  our  western  schools.  She  is  esjiecially 
attached  to  our  mission  schools  Ijecause  of  the 
mathematics,  music,  and  industrial  work  offered. 
The  standard  of  our  mission  schools  must  he 
equal  to  that  of  the  govcrnmcut  schools.  Unless 
we  are  able  to  keej)  this,  we  fail  to  get  the  stu- 
dent, and  thereby  fail  to  do  our  ])art  in  the  edu- 
cational work.  Yet  with  all  the  learning  we  can 
])ut  into  China,  she  will  still  he  a dismal  failure 
unless  we  give  her  Christ.  ( )ur  organization, 
our  discipline,  our  teaching  mu.st  lie  all  for  Christ. 

By  the  selection  of  our  present  field  the  Luth- 
eran Free  Church  was  made  directly  resjronsihle 
for  more  than  two  million  peo]ile.  Estimating 
ah'out  one  half  being  women  and  girls  we  realize 
that  we  have  a tremendous  work  before  us.  This 
branch  of  the  mission  work  must  he  done  di- 
rectly through  the  lady  missionary.  When  we 
enter  the  home  of  any  class,  and  learn  the  secret." 


23 


of  their  heart-life,  their  thought-life  and  home 
life,  or  expound  the  deep  truths  of  Christianity 
to  a class  of  catechumens  whose  minds  so  long 
have  groped  in  darkness,  hopelessly  after  peace, 
then  our  love  and  pity  for  the  unsaved  souls  is 
awakened  as  never  before,  and  although  we  are 
surrounded  by  the  darkness  of  heathenism,  and 
often  by  discouragement,  our  faith  in  the  living 
Christ  will  enable  us  to  face  everything  with 
calm  and  courageous  hearts  and  thus  to  triumjih 
over  every  obstacle. 

Realizing  the  present  situation  as  a call  ana 
S])ecial  opportunity  for  advancing  God’s  king- 
dom, may  there  be  women  filled  with  the  love  of 
God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  wil- 
ling to  bring  the  message  of  salvation  in  Christ 
to  the  women  of  China. 

It  is  God  who  thrusts  forth  workers  of  llis 
own  appointment,  hut  it  is  the  duty  as  well  as 
the  privilege  of  our  church  to  unite  in  interces- 
sion for  qualified  and  God-chosen  missionaries. 


Am  I Fitted  for  the  Work? 


This  is  no  doubt  one  of  the  first  ques- 
tions wliich  a conscientious  young  woman 
will  ask  herself  when  she  is  confronted  by  the 
missionary  call — go  ye  therefore ! And  it  is  wdl 
that  she  should  ask  herself  this  question,  for  it  is 
a serious  task  to  be  a missionary,  and  enthusiasm 
without  prayerful  thought  may  bring  disaster. 

Mrs.  IMolvik  and  Mrs.  Hompland,  wlio  repre- 
sent the  two  mission  fields  of  the  Lutheran  Free 
Church,  have  kindly  given  a few  very  valuable 
suggestions  as  to  general  qualifications  needed. 
It  is  of  course  needless  to  say  that  the  first  and 
most  important  requirement  is  a warm,  deep- 
seated  love  for  Christ  and  His  kingdom.  No 
amount  of  knowledge  and  training  can  serve  as  a 
suljstitute  for  such  love.  But  the  other  require- 
ments, spiritual,  mental,  and  physical,  are  by  no 
means  unimportant.  In  fact,  the  better  the  equip- 
ment and  the  greater  the  aptitude  the  greater 
possibility  there  is  that  the  worker  will  be  a suc- 
cess in  the  very  best  sense  of  the  word.  It  is  oi 
course  difficult  to  give  specific  rules,  and  not  all 
the  qualifications  which  tnay  be  mentioned  are 
of  equal  importance.  The  outline  given  below 
will,  however,  be  of  help  to  those  who  are  trying 


24 


25 


to  come  to  a clear  decision  as  to  their  life-calling. 
It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  Mrs.  Molvik 
naturally  has  the  work  in  [Madagascar  in  mind, 
and  [Mrs.  Plompland  the  work  in  China.  As  will 
be  seen,  the  two  agree  on  most  points,  and  do 
not  disagree  on  any. 

Mrs.  [Molvik  writes  as  follows : 

‘‘The  lady  missionary  of  Madagascar  should 
possess  the  general  qualifications  required  of  all 
missionaries. 

I wish  to  emphasize  that  only  women  of 
strong  constitution  without  physical  defects  are 
able  to  do  the  work  which  should  be  done.  Brave, 
alert,  intelligent,  and  industrious  women  with  a 
pleasing  disposition  and  engaging  personality  will 
succeed  in  winning  the  native  woman’s  confi- 
dence and  admiration  to  the  extent  that  they  will 
not  only  gladly  receive  instruction,  but  will  imi- 
tate them  in  all  their  work,  conduct  and  life. 

A high  school  course  is  not  enough.  It  is  good 
as  far  as  acquiring  knowledge  goes,  but  the  lady 
missionary  is  to  be  a teacher  in  the  broadest 
sense  and  needs  theory  and  practice.  I consider 
the  training  at  a normal  school  more  valuable. 
The  general  methods  studied  there,  work  in  ob- 
servation, child-study,  and  the  practice  teaching 
under  an  excellent  critic,  broaden  her  views  and 
enable  her  to  understand  [Malagasy  character 
quickly  and  to  deal  successfully  with  the  people. 


26 


Some  knowledge  of  nursing  and  medicine, 
and  music  etc.  are,  of  course,  desirable.” 

These  are  the  requirements  for  lady  mis- 
sionaries mentioned  by  Mrs.  Hompland  : 

1.  Spiritual: 

(a)  Strong  faith  in  God. 

(b)  Sincerity. 

( c ) Passion  for  winning  of  souls. 

(d)  Self-sacrifice. 

(e)  Inner  call  to  the  mission  field. 

2.  Mental: 

(a)  Self-control. 

(b)  Power  of  organization  and  discipline. 

(c)  Optimism. 

,(d)  Sociableness. 

3.  Physical: 

(a)  Good  health. 

(b)  Not  under  22  nor  past  30  years  of  age. 

(c)  Xo  physical  defects. 

(d)  Not  of  a nervous  dis|)osition. 

4.  Educational : 

(a)  Intimate  knowledge  of  the  Bible. 

(h)  .\t  least  a high  school  education. 

( c ) Some  work  at  a Christian  college. 

(d)  Xormal  training  or  experience  in  teach- 
ing. 

(e)  Bookkeeping  and  music.  (.Should  at 
least  be  able  to  instruct  in  singing  and 
to  ])lay  ordinary  hymns). 

(f)  Some  training  in  industrial  work. 


Facts  About  the  Foreign  Missions  of  the 
Lutheran  Free  Church 

IN  1885  there  was  organized  at  Augsburg  Sem- 
inary the  first  Student  Mission  Society  in 
any  Norwegian  Lutheran  school  in  America. 

In  1887  the  first  missionary  from  any  Nor- 
wegian Lutheran  school  in  y\merica  went  out  to 
tlic  mission  field,  Rev.  1'.  J.  Ilogstad,  a graduate 
from  Augsburg  Seminary.  He  was  followed 
two  years  later  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Ton  from  tbe  same 
school. 

In  1892  the  southern  part  of  Madagascar, 
where  Llogstad  and  Ton  had  commenced  their 
work,  was  designated  as  the  mission  field  of  the 
Norwegian  Lutheran  churches  in  America. 

In  1895  the  Lutheran  Free  Church,  or  rather 
the  congregations  who  in  those  troublesome  times 
stood  by  Augsburg  Seminary,  commenced  active 
work  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Madagascar, 
with  Rev.  Ton  as  the  leading  spirit  in  the  work. 

In  1913  it  was  decided  by  the  Annual  Meet- 
ing of  the  Lutheran  Free  Church  to  begin  work 
in  China.  , 

In  1914  Rev.  L.  Hompland  went  as  our  first 
missionary  to  China. 

In  January  1916  it  was  decided  to  choose  a 


27 


28 


very  densely  populated  community  in  tlie  Xorth- 
eastern  part  of  the  province  of  Honan  as  oui 
mission  field. 

Our  mission  field  in  Madagascar  is  large,  but 
somewhat  s])arsely  populated,  the  poptdation  be- 
ing variously  estimated  from  60,000  to  over  100.- 
000.  Four  mission  stations  have  been  built,  and 
two  more  are  planned.  The  centre  of  the  mission 
is  Manasoa,  with  its  evangelistic,  educational  and 
medical  work.  Here  are  also  located  two  large 
a.sylums,  one  for  boys  and  another  for  girls. 

The  present  force  of  missionaries  consists  of 
eleven  in  the  field  (Dr.  and  Mrs.  Dyrnes,  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  Halland,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Rjorgan,  Rev. 
and  i\Irs.  Awes,  and  the  Sisters  Henriette  Xilsen, 
Petra  Tetersen  and  Milla  Pederson),  three  on 
their  way  to  the  mission  field  (Rev.  Asheim  and 
Rev.  and  Mrs.  Hanson),  and  two  at  home  on 
furlough  (Rev.  and  Mrs.  Molvik). 

In  addition  to  these  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melvin  A. 
llelland,  and  Mr.  Morris  (I.  C.  \ aageness  have 
been  called  to  this  field.  Mr.  Helland  was 
graduated  last  year  from  Augsburg  Seminary, 
and  has  this  year  been  doing  po.st-graduate  work 
at  Hartford  Seminary,  Flartford,  Conn.  Mr. 
\ aageness  was  graduated  from  Augsburg  Sem- 
inary this  Spring. 

In  China  work  has  been  taken  up  at  three 
stations,  though  onI\'  one  station  has  so  far  been 
e(|uip])ed.  Our  field  is  small,  and  yet  from  the 


29 


three  centres  occupied  we  are  within  reacli  of 
over  one  and  a half  million  heathen. 

Our  missionary  force  in  China  consists  of 
Rev.  and  Mrs.  Hompland  at  Kweiteh,  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  Ohson  at  Suichow,  and  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Kon- 
sterlie  at  Chech’eng.  These  have  taken  up  active 
work.  Rev.  and  Mrs,  Ditmanson  are  at  Suichow 
studying  the  Chinese  language.  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Mortensen  are  in  Peking  for  the  same  purpose. 

Further  plans  for  strengthening  the  work  and 
reinforcing  the  missionary  force  are  under  con- 
sideration. 

A great  need  is  felt  for  more  lady  workers 
in  both  our  fields.  There  ought  to  be  one  ladv 
missionary  at  each  mission  station,  besides  one 
or  two  at  the  asylums.  It  is  hoped  that  this  want 
can  be  relieved,  at  least  to  some  extent,  in  a not 
distant  future. 

“Go  Vc  Therefore !"' 


The  Growth  of  the  Foreign  Missions  of 

The  Lutheran  Free  Church  1913 — 1918 


W1IILI-:  IT  IS  TRUE  that  spiritual  values 
cannot  very  well  Ije  expressed  in  numbers, 
statistics  are  nevertheless  of  value  in  showing 
the  outward  growth  of  our  work.  How  many 
have  lieen  led  “near  unto  the  kingdom,”  though 
not  yet  baptized,  no  one  can  tell.  The  latest 
statistics  available  are  for  1917  ( reported  to  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Lutheran  Free  Church 
1918).  A comparison  between  these  latest  statis- 
tics and  those  reported  to  the  annual  meeting  in 
1913  show  an  increase  in  every  branch  of  mis- 
sionary activity.  The  following  are  fair  samples, 
expressed  in  figures  and  percentages : 


1913 

1918  Increase 

Mission  stations 

3 

6 11007, 

Out  stations  . . . . .• | 

36 

44j  227 

Missionaries  (on  field  or! 

readv  to  sail ) | 

10 

26|1607 

Native  workers 

62 

13611207 

Xative  Christians | 

461 

1045  12P7 

Catechumens | 

114 

184|  617c 

Baptized  during  the  vear 

(1912  and  1918) . . . . | 

67 

1411110% 

Pupils  in  Sunday  schools 

204 

690 1 238  7, 

30 


31 


Pupils  in  Day  schools.  . . 
Native  Christians'  contri- 

80 

222 

butions 

$240 

$ 1,144 

The  home  church’s  contri- 

hutions 

$11,602 

29,099 

177% 

377% 

150% 


Say  not  ye,  there  are  yet  four  nionths, 
and  then  coineth  harvest?'  Behold,  I say 
unto  you,  Lift  iif  your  eyes  and  look  on 
the  fields;  for  they  are  white  already  to 
hari'est.  The  harzrst  truly  is  plenteous, 
but  the  laborers  are  few;  pray  ye  there- 
fore the  Lord  of  the  harvest  that  He 
will  send  forth  laborers  into  His  harvest. 


.V 


